Clutter Control

When you're getting ready to sell your home, one of the first steps is getting rid of the clutter. This is all part of home staging, which involves cleaning, organizing, rearranging, updating and preparing your home for sale.

A large part of why people buy a particular home is emotional. This is one of the reasons home staging is so effective - you create an atmosphere that projects pleasant times to come in a well-cared for, fresh, bright and uncluttered home.

A good way to start is to walk through your home and make a list of every spot, chip, area that needs cleaning, de-cluttering, repainting, sanding, updating, etc. Then check them off your list one at a time as you complete the tasks. It's not so overwhelming when you tackle one thing at a time, and checking them off your list demonstrates the progress you are making so you can reward yourself!

I can't tell you how many times people have told me they wished they would have done the work they did to prepare their home for sale years ago...so they could have enjoyed it while they were living there!

If you are ready to start getting your clutter under control but need some help and encouragement, you might find a new offering by professional organizer Kathy Franzen helpful. She found so many people looking for this kind of support that she is starting a 'Clutter-Free Life' encouragement group. It's an ongoing small group that meets every other week to share ideas, support one another and receive expert advice as they work on their own home or office organizing projects at their own pace. For more information, call Kathy at 651-486-2720 or visit www.ProjectPartnerServices.com.